1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleaner. More particularly, to a cleaner system having a docking station, which is provided to suck and remove dust and loose debris stored in a robot cleaner.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional cleaner is a device used to remove dust in a room for cleaning the room. A conventional vacuum cleaner collects dust and loose debris by a suction force generated from a low-pressure unit. Recently, a cleaning robot, which is designed to remove dust and loose debris from the floor while moving on the floor via without manual operation, has been developed. Hereinafter, a term “automatic cleaning” refers to a cleaning operation performed by a robot cleaner that removes dust and loose debris while moving by itself, whereas a term “manual cleaning” refers to a cleaning operation performed by a person using a vacuum cleaner.
Generally, the robot cleaner is combined with a station (hereinafter, referred to as a docking station) to form a single cleaning system. The docking station is located at a specific place in a room and serves to charge the robot cleaner and to remove dust and debris stored in the robot cleaner.
One example of the above-described cleaner system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0150519. The disclosed cleaner system includes a mobile suction appliance (i.e. robot cleaner) and a suction station having a suction unit to suck dust and loose debris. The robot cleaner includes a suction inlet at a bottom wall thereof, to suck dust and loose debris, and brushes are rotatably mounted in the proximity of the suction inlet, to sweep up the dust and loose debris. The suction station includes an oblique front surface to enable the robot cleaner to ascend therealong, and a suction inlet formed at a portion of the oblique front surface. Accordingly, when the robot cleaner ascends along the oblique front surface to reach a docking position, the suction inlet of the oblique front surface faces the suction inlet of the robot cleaner. In accordance with the operation of the suction unit, thereby, dust and debris, stored in the robot cleaner, are sucked into and removed by the suction station.
In the conventional cleaner system as stated above, the dust and debris, collected in the robot cleaner, are discharged through the suction inlet. However, the suction inlet, which is also used to suck dust and loose debris, has a broad width in order to efficiently suck the dust and loose debris, and therefore, is difficult to achieve an effective utilization of a suction force generated by the suction station.
Further, when the dust and loose debris are sucked from the robot cleaner into the suction station, the dust and debris, discharged from the suction inlet, tend to be caught by the brushes that are mounted in the proximity of the suction inlet of the robot cleaner. The dust and debris, caught by the brushes, may make the floor of a room unclean when the robot cleaner again performs automatic cleaning.
Furthermore, the conventional cleaner system has a problem in that a suction channel for connecting the suction inlet of the robot cleaner to the suction unit of the suction station must be located below the robot cleaner when the robot cleaner docks with the suction station, and therefore, the oblique front surface of the suction station must have a high height. This makes it difficult for the robot cleaner to dock with the suction station.